THE VILLAINESS TURNS THE HOURGLASS

Chapter 72. Testing And Trial, Part XIII

Aria's eyelids sank gently, feeling as if the pouring starlight had kissed her. Aria couldn't open her eyes quickly to the illusion that she was dreaming.

"... well, I look forward to seeing you again soon."

His lips fell off her forehead, and when she opened her eyes to a voice that said good-bye, he was gone from the place though she heard his voice a while ago. What was more, the dark vacant lot, which had nothing except for Asher's eyes, had disappeared and turned into a crowded street.

'What the hell is going on...?'

The only thing that was left was the warmth on her forehead where his lips had touched, so she raised her hand and touched it. Her hands came in contact with a very fine but moist liquid, and it was hard to tell whether it was a trace of Asher's kiss or her sweat from being nervous.

"Miss!"

As she turned her head to the distant voice, she saw two people rushing urgently.

"... Jessie."

"You can't imagine how surprised I am since you just suddenly vanished!"

"... so was I."

Jessie wasn't the only one who was surprised. Aria also couldn't calm her pounding heart.

"It looks dangerous, so we'd better get back to the mansion as soon as possible. We've already enjoyed enough of the festival."

With Jessie saying, "We've been looking for you for a long time," Aria couldn't come to her senses for a while because what had just happened made her mind messy.

* * *

The cause of the explosion of the firecrackers in the square was unknown. The only explanation was that the firecrackers that would be used on the stage were scattered all over the square and that someone set it on fire and set off an explosion simultaneously.

Fortunately, few people were hurt because it was only loud and not a great firecracker. There were a few people who fell and were injured by someone instead of the firecrackers, and they said all of them were treated by the imperial court.

"I was really surprised to see you disappear in the blink of an eye."

It was because she ran while holding Asher's hand. Although she ran for quite a while, she arrived at a spot she had never seen in her life, and she was able to go back near the square in no time.

'... what the hell happened?'

A few days later, she couldn't understand it. The whole situation was incomprehensible as if Asher had done magic.

'Let's not think about it anymore.'

If she tried to solve a problem that had no answer, she would only get a headache. Aria shook her head. Due to her action, Annie who was combing her hair dropped her comb on the floor.

"Oops, miss. I'm sorry!"

Jessie helped her when she was pouring tea.

"Are you all right, miss?"

"..."

'Even in the past, they seemed to talk a lot, but why am I bothered by the two maids so much?'

When Aria closed the book with a loud noise without giving any answer, the two maids made a fuss again like larks.

"Shall I change your tea?"

"Don't you like the perfume on your hair?"

"Do you want a new refreshment?"

"Would you want to braid your hair?"

"Both..."

She tried to clench her teeth and shout, but she could not bring out a word when she faced the two maids staring at her with their eyes shining like a lamb.

"... whew."

Eventually, she loosened her face and swallowed the harsh words that she wanted to say. She had done well to them a few times, but when she saw them, she didn't want to scold them. 'This is not what a wicked woman does.'

"... Take turns to go on a vacation. I'll pay you."

"I don't have a place to go to. I'll get bored if I don't work."

"So am I. I enjoy being with you."

Aria wasn't very happy to spend the day with them. Of course, it was much better than in the past when they had been afraid and shivering, but it was annoying to tune in to their non-nutritive chatter.

'Nevertheless, the only reason I can't kick them out easily... is because they are on my side for the first time.'

Apart from Jessie, she hadn't captivated Annie's heart yet, but she liked it very much that she did cute things beside her because it was fun for her to betray her master and wag her tail to her.

"So miss, have you heard of it?"

"What?"

"Miss Mielle."

Aria showed a little interest and Annie released what she had heard with a sneaky smile.

"She sent a letter to Princess Frederick."

Princess Frederick and a letter... Aria tried to guess Mielle's intention. Mielle might have told the princess that she would want to marry Oscar.

The princess, whose engagement with the Crown Prince was in progress, was an influential person in the family of the duke and the head of aristocratic ladies. Aria remembered that the princess had really married the Crown Prince and ruled the Empire with his father and other aristocrats.